Thou Shalt Not Suffer A Witch To Live
by CC
Summary: An accident at Durmstrang displaces a young ward of the Wizarding state, and into the care of Dumbledore and Hogwarts. Is You-Know-Who on the rampage, or is it all just "rotten luck"? Only Midori may know the answer....
1. Default Chapter

Hello everyone! And yes, it's back. Before we get into the fanfic, I would like to apologize to anyone who has read this previously, to , and to Midii. You see, this was up some years ago, and, due to my distinct lack of internet (rage), the first chapter was published an number of times(go me) and I didn't have time to fix the error on the extremely limited access that I got, so I had to remove the whole thing. SORRY! But here it is again, and I have internet now, so fresh chapters should be up regularly, and no screw-ups shall conceivably occur! W00! I did not intentionally screw it up, and so, to the 3 people that read this previously, I'm sorry for the repetitiveness. But I'll get past the first two chapters this time!

Chapter One

The Great Hall was unusually full that afternoon, when all four houses had gathered to watch the famous Sorting Hat carry out his duty.

"There seems to be a lot more students this year," remarked Hermoine to Harry and Ron thoughtfully. "There must be over a hundred waiting to be sorted."

"Well, Hermoine, I recall it being a lot fuller when Durmstrang and Beaux Batons were here." Ron quipped playfully. "Or do you not remember? Too busy hanging off of Krumm, I suppose." Harry noticed the tinge of guilty jealousy in Ron's voice. He was next to positive that Ron had begun to grow feelings for the girl whom Ron once called a "nightmare". Hermoine smacked him viciously upside the head.

"Oh shut up! You're just envious that Krumm didn't sign your-"

"Shh!" Harry cut Hermoine off and elbowed Ron in the gut before he could protest. Dumbledore was about to speak.

During the preliminary speech intended almost exclusively for the first years, Harry tried to keep Ron and Hermoine from tearing each other to bits underneath the tables.

"Look, you two," Harry whispered. "School hasn't even begun and both of you are acting like Dementors. At least try to act civilized until classes start." That way, the teachers can deal with you. Harry finished the thought introspectively. Ron stuck his tongue out and Hermoine glared back, and both settled in to watch the sorting. Why do I get the feeling this is going to be another crazy year? Harry thought and followed suit.

The sorting was as interesting as it was every year, and there were, true to Hermoine's guess, over one hundred and fifty new students. Most of which landed in Ravenclaw house. Slytherin, as usual, got the fewest amount of first years, but each one of them looked snobby and cruel.

"And now for one last piece of business." McGonagal's clear voice carried easily across the buzzing chambers. "Everyone, we have a special case with us this evening. We have a new fifth year student among us. Midori, would you come up please?"

A young girl Harry had noticed in passing earlier got up from the staff table and crept down the stairs to where the Sorting Hat and Mrs. McGonagal stood waiting.

The old witch motioned for Midori to stand close by. The girl did as bidden, and Harry saw, as well as all others, the color of Midori's hair as it was struck by starlight from the false ceiling. It was as red as blood.

"Ms. Midori is here from overseas. She is a fifth year magic student, as well as many of you here." she glanced hard at Hermoine, Ron and Harry for an instant. "She had been attending Durmstrang school of magic, when the headmaster set fire to the building at the expense of the lives of some of the students. Such a tragedy has likely not spread around to many of you yet, but this horrific turn of events has kept myself, Dumbledore, and those from the Ministry of Magic at full attention for a few days. To those of you living outside of the wizarding world, this may come as a shock."

Hermoine had gone ice-pale. Ron was slack-jawed, a shard of pure disbelief in either eye. The hall began to buzz free from the stunned carcass it had fallen into. Harry watched Midori as she lowered her light eyes to the floor, hair falling lightly into her face. McGonagal placed a protective arm around the young witch's shoulders and called loudly for silence. The hall quieted to attention.

"Since Midori was orphaned in the months directly following her birth, she is a ward of the Ministry. Therefore, it is my obligation, as well as my pleasure to admit Midori into Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Polite yet listless applause ticked coldly from the students. Hermoine's eyes were welling up with tears of fear and dread. Wordlessly, Harry placed a hand on hers and let her squeeze.

Dumbledore shook Midori's hand and rose to speak. "What Minerva- I mean Mrs. McGonagal did not mention is the details on such an attack. I am sure you are each mightily concerned about your own welfare and those of the friends you have made during the games last year, as well as those of other magic folk. I regret to say that the attacks are suspected to be the work of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but no hard evidence has been discovered as yet. It is too soon to tell. The casualties are indeed slight, as far as we know. The deaths of only three students are known for positive at this point, although I cannot reveal their names as I am unsure of them. Suffice to say for the moment that those who participated in the Goblet of Fire games are likely too cunning of wizards to befall a demise of that nature. Now, Mrs. McGonagal, let us welcome the new student, shall we?"

The old witch nodded energetically and bid Midori sit down on the Sorting Hat stool.

"Like any other new student, Midori must be sorted into her kin house." the Sorting Hat was placed on the head of bloody red. The Hat instantly came alive and wiggled purposefully. "Now then," the Hat mumbled into Midori's private ear. "Let's see... got everything all up here... right, right. Smart cookie, you are."

"Thank you." Midori whispered from under the bulky hat.

"Brought up by muggles then... but a great deal of talent, make no mistake. Ambition, plenty of that... and oh my... Right. SLYTHERIN!"

Ron wiggled unhappily. "Slytherin? A girl like that is Slytherin? I'd say she looks far more like a Griffindor to me, wouldn't you say so Harry?"

The room was applauding politely up to the Slytherin side where most people were cheering loudly and standing as Midori was directed to the Slytherin table. Harry clapped quietly. "I dunno, Ron. She could be like Fleur."

Ron was about to defend the young French wench when Hermoine interrupted.

"Did you see her hair, Harry? You can tell just by that she's a Slytherin."

Ron glared indignantly. "Oh it does not Hermione! I have red hair, in case you didn't notice!"

"But not like hers! You just think she should be in Griffindor because she's pretty!"

"That's insane! And why are you being so testy?"

Harry again cut in as mediator. "Will you two please keep it down? Dumbledore will kick you both out." Both quieted instantly. Harry watched as Midori sat down next to Malfoy. "If Draco hasn't picked her mind and turned her against us too much by Herbology, then maybe we can talk to her."


	2. Harry the Spy And also Ron

Chapter 2. Harry the Spy. And also Ron.

Harry Potter isn't mine; no one would believe me if I said he was. Now, on to the Fanfic!! And I hope it works this time. If you can read this, let me know in a review ;).

The feast was again fantastic. The house elves had once more created a meal that was beyond delicious and fascinating with professional ease. The first years, having never experienced the sensational Hogwarts cuisine were taken much aback by the flavor and abundance of all that there was to be had. Even Midori was digging in with everyone else.

When everyone had eaten to the point of fatality, Dumbledore stood once more and instructed the Prefects to guide their Houses to their Common rooms. He gave each house a brief set of directions for the sake of the disoriented first years, then everyone was up and off.

Harry noticed Midori get shoved over by a burly seventh year Slytherin boy in his haste to get by. Had he been closer, Harry would have helped, but he was beaten to the punch. Draco Malfoy reached a now muscly and powerful arm down to help her up.

"Thank you." Midori said softly and looked at Draco's eagle-eyed arm.

"It's not a problem, lovely. Would you like me to kick that person's ass for you? It

would be my pleasure! Crabbe! Care to beat that Blaize into the ground?" Crabbe nodded dumbly and pushed three others down to do Draco's bidding. Draco turned back to Midori, ignoring the cries of protest and odd curse word from those whom Crabbe knocked over. "I'm Draco, by the way." He ran his thumb slowly over Midori's white knuckles, still clasped lightly in his ample palm. Midori cracked a massive smile, showing well shaped straight teeth.

"Well, I can sure say I'm glad you don't mind getting your friends to take people out! It's great to meet someone who actually cares!"

Draco let show a little secret smile. "Let us head to the Slytherin common room, shall we? You wouldn't want to get caught up in this riffraff now, would you?" After placing Midori's hand on his arm, Malfoy followed Crabbe's lead up the stairs towards Slytherin's room.

"Augh, that's rotten luck!" groaned Ron, who was still seated next to Harry. "Now Malfoy is sure to make her another simpering Slytherin skank. I wish she could see what a horrible person he really is, don't you think so, Harry?"

Harry looked down at Ron, as soon as the last strand of Midori's hair swam out of view to notice Hermoine's eyes leaking huge alligator tears down her pale cheeks. He instantly bent down next to her, forgetting about Malfoy's good fortune.

"Hermoine-" before he could get any farther, she imploded into sobs.

"Oh Harry! What if he's dead? I haven't gotten an owl from him in _weeks_! Do you know how unlike him that is?" her voice broke a few times before collapsing onto Harry's shoulder. Harry stroked her hair, murmuring as sympathetically as he could. After a few minutes, he began to run out of possible explanations of Vic's lack of communication. One can only suppose all the owls made a run for it so many times before the very idea seemed as grating as weeping. It was almost as if she couldn't hear him at all.

As if being awakened from a deep sleep by a bad dream, Ron looked over. "Bloody hell! Why didn't someone tell me she was this upset?"

At that, Hermoine let out a little cry of anguish and pushed past them both in her hurry out to the staircases, tears trailing behind her.

"Good God, Ron, didn't you notice?" Harry glared hard at Ron, who was still siting innocently in the chair.

"Well, well I-"

The bellows of the Prefects hushed Ron before he could come up with a reply that seemed less self antagonizing than the obvious.

"Come on, come on! Griffindors, this way!"

Harry shook his head. "We'd better get up to the common room. I think Hermoine just needs some time alone for a while."

"Alone with Moaning Murtle." Mumbled Ron quietly as he stood up. The two boys hurried down the hall and followed the rest of their house up to the Common room. Finding that all their things were in order in their dormitories, they headed back down to the Common room where a handful of first and second years were gossiping.

"I just think it's wrong." stated a blond girl with a long nose. "House elves are not meant for that sort of thing. They still should get paid, that's what I think!"

Ron shuddered. "Oh no! They're not still on about that, are they? The house elf scandal is over, and everybody knows that's the only way they get any self gratification." Harry was about to bring up Dobby when one of the Griffindor girls glared challengingly at Ron. "You are sick, whoever you are! I can't believe you would approve of such a thing! I can't even believe that this is going on!"

"Now see here," exclaimed Ron, feeling his blood rise at an unhealthy rate. "A lot of wizarding houses have house elves for the one reason that they do things for-" he was cut as the crowd of girls lunged toward him in all their volumes. There were a few discernible comments, none of which made any sense to Ron, who blinked bewilderedly at the drastic reaction. Harry grabbed Ron by the upper arm and pulled him outside.

Soon, they were stalking the halls of Hogwarts, calling Hermoine's name discretely. "What do you suppose was that great upheaval in the Common room, Harry?" Ron asked as they turned a corner. "I was amazed when Hermoine took up that crusade. It just seems odd to me that all of a sudden all these girls would-" Ron was stopped short the same moment as Harry nearly tripped over his own feet. Thinking quickly, both boys dove back around the corner and hid.

Miss McGonagal and Dumbledore were blatantly making out in the middle of the darkened hallway.

"Albus," McGonagal whispered, as she unlocked her lips from his ample facial hair. "It is not safe to be doing this in the hall. What if one of the students-"

"That is why we are both such apt executers of various memory charms. Cunning, aren't we?" Dumbledore reassured her as smothered her lips with his own again.

"Oh Albus, you were always such a showman!"

"And a performer, as I am about to show you, Minerva! And please try not to moan too loud this time. We don't want to wake up the entire school."

"Again." McGonagal giggled dizzily and sank to the floor.

Slinky-jawed, Ron and Harry gaped at each other. McGonagal sighed. Both spies sprinted back down the hall as fast as their legs could transport them.


	3. Ahh, My Eyes! I can't Believe Them!

Chapter 3:

"That was the most disturbing, utterly insane, hideous thing I have ever seen in my life!" wheezed Ron as they neared the slowed at the end of the hall. "I saw them making eyes at each other, but... bleech! We walk on that floor! Augh!"

"I know!" Harry agreed, for once showing enthusiasm that day. "To think, they were doing memory spells on us the whole time! Who knows what else we might have forgotten!"

Ron leaned against the stone wall, breathing heavily. "That was just too sick, too sick. I hope Hermoine doesn't see that on her way back to the Common room."

Harry shuddered. "Maybe that would be a good thing. If she had a temporary memory lapse, then she'd be able to sleep better tonight without thinking so much about Victor. Listen, we'd better find her quickly before all three of us get in trouble."

Soon, both Griffindors were again sprinting down the torch lit hallways still searching for their missing counterpart. It was past midnight by the time they got back to the Common Room, and they were tired, confused, and worried.

The moment they entered, they found themselves looking at a face that mimicked their emotions exponentially.

"Hermoine!" Harry exclaimed. "I- we were so worried about you! It's not like you to disappear! Are you all right?"

Although her hair was frizzy and her eyes red, Hermoine stood up from the chair and looked at Harry with a borderline grotesque expression of both resolution and insanity.

"I'm leaving Hogwarts. Tonight."


	4. Mum's The Word, Ron

Chapter Four

Ron sat down stoically in a chair facing Hermoine. "Look Hermoine, weird things are always happening. You saying that is probably one of the weirdest things that has ever happened to me in my entire life, but I believe I can get on with my life despite this. Didn't you hear what Dumbledore said?" Harry saw Ron shudder slightly at the name. "Anyone that participated in the Goblet of Fire is probably way too good to get offed like that. It was probably just some idiot first years that bought it, not a pro like Krumm. That guy is one of the best broom riders in the world! If he could get his hands on one, even if he was in a_ hell mouth_ he'd make it out okay. You don't need to worry! Really!"

Hermoine nodded, seeing the sense in his words. Harry leaned on the armrest of Ron's chair. "Why don't you try writing to him again? Hedwig has been going nuts in her age all summer, so I'm sure she'd be more than pleased to get your message to him double quick."

Hermoine nodded again. "Thanks Harry. I'll write him tonight."

Ron nodded sagely. "Try to get it all out in the letter. Then have a good night rest and things will be okay."

Harry and Ron walked Hermoine to the girl's staircase. She looked Harry full in the face but could not keep eye contact with Ron. "Thanks for... being here for me," she sniffed and disappeared up the stairs.

Ron backed slowly away after he was sure she was gone. "How was I?" He asked, grinning impishly.

"How were you what?" Harry asked tonelessly.

"I was my mum. I didn't know what to say, but she usually does. I didn't come off too caring, did I?"

Harry shook his head. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that."

Ron stretched. "Well, good. I know we have a lot of catching up to do, but I got an earful from dad really early this morning, and I'm bushed. What do you say we continue this at breakfast?"

Harry agreed, remembering "Mrs. Weasley's" advice on a good night sleep. Things would look clearer in a rested head.


	5. Frothing With Wonder

Chapter Five

Of course, Harry could barely touch sleep that night. When the rays of sunlight tinted the sky in the window above his four-poster, he gave his pastime up for useless and changed out of his pajamas. Ron was breathing deeply from underneath a wad of blankets, so Harry snuck quietly down to the Common Room to see if anybody else was awake.

The Griffindor Common Room was just as he and Ron had left it the previous day. It was the loneliest Harry had remembered it being for a long time. It reminded him a great deal of the Dursleys' home on Privet Drive. Suddenly very tired, Harry lowered himself slowly into a gold and red upholstered armchair that stood turned gently towards the frozen hearth. As he sat, a slice of parchment protested from the sponge of the armchair's cushion. He stood up again and removed the offending parchment, wrinkling a corner of it in his fist. He was about to drop it on the floor for the owner to claim for later, when he recognized his name on the back half. He flipped it over in his wrist, and read:

_Dear Harry:_

_I did just what you suggested: I wrote a long letter to Viktor last night. And you were completely right. I see things so much more clearly now that all my frustrations are out on paper. That means that I need to go for myself. I already talked to Mrs. McGonagall and arranged for all my homework to be sent to me by owl, so no one needs to worry about that. I'm going to be heading on broomstick most of the way, I expect, but I'm not as good with it as you are (or Ron, either. Now don't get all indignant because I didn't mention you!) so it will probably take me a while. Try to study on your own until I get back!_

_I'll be okay, really. And whatever you do, DO NOT COME AFTER ME! Harry, the only safe place for you is in Hogwarts with Dumbledore. I'll send you messages so you'll know I'm okay. And the letter I wrote to Viktor is still in this envelope, if you would please send it to him as soon as you can so he understands the situation. I would have sent it myself, but I wanted to be out before you were awake, because I know that you would have tried to talk me out of it!_

_I'll be back as soon as I know that Viktor is alright. _

_I'll be back soon even if he's not._

_Signed: Hermoine Granger._

Harry bolted back into the boys' chambers to alert Ron. On his way in, he ran full tilt into Neville Longbottom who was just getting up.

"Sorry Neville," Harry mumbled and helped Neville to his feet.

"Getting used to it," he mumbled back and wandered to his trunk to dress.

Harry tugged viciously on Ron's blankets. "Ron! Ron! Wake up!"

"Oh for heaven's sake, Ginny. No more stories. How many times can you possibly listen to the Basilisk story? It-"

"RON!"

Ron rolled over lazily. "You killed the Basilisk, Harry. You lived. It's okay. Go back to bed."

"Ron, Hermoine's gone!"

Neville's Remembrall shattered on the stone floor.

"What!" cried Ron, finally coming awake.

"Did you do?" said Seamus as he sat up in bed, face inches from the broken glass.

Aware that half of the bunk house was now awake from the commotion and all within earshot, Harry passed Ron Hermoine's note and backed off to watch Neville frantically try to collect the splinters of his precious bauble.

"Too bad Hermoine's gone," said one a boy from one of the bunks. "She'd know how to fix it."

"What? Hermoine's gone?" said another voice from an unknown bunk.

"Our house is barely going to get any points then!" cried someone else, and a few laughed at this. Ron scrambled up beside Harry.

"Where was this?"

Harry told him.

"Guess that means she didn't actually want everyone to know about it then," Ron said sourly, and loud enough for everyone to hear. "And I'm sure that if someone did know about it, that they should not tell anyone. I bet she'd really like to see the Slytherin's scratching their heads wondering where she went." He added as an afterthought. Harry and Ron left the bunks knowing that Hermoine's secret would be safe, thanks to Ron. At least until ten o'clock when they were expected for classes. Potions. With Slytherin. Again. Harry shuddered wondering what Snape would say about Hermoine's absence. He mentioned this to Ron after the other was dressed in his school robes as they headed down to the Great Hall for Breakfast.

"Just pretend we don't know anything. And don't say anything. Just shrug. That's it. We'll be ready for his forked tongue! Nothing will get any information out of us. We are pillars of... support! Yes!" Ron bit self righteously into a handful of breakfast crisps. "He'll be frothing with wonder! It'll be like a splinter in his brain! He'll- EWW!"

Ron instantly ducked down next to his plate and turned a bright red.

"What?" said Harry, who had been staring at his empty plate the whole time.

"It's McGonagall," Ron whispered in a conspirative tone. "I will never, never look at her, Dumbledore, or the hallways ever again."

Harry forced a grim smile and continued to stare at his plate, wondering about Hermoine.


End file.
